


In Your Arms Tonight

by leiascully



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Community: fluff_friday, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-30
Updated: 2009-01-30
Packaged: 2017-10-03 07:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leiascully/pseuds/leiascully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The rest, as they said, was history.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Your Arms Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline: S4, post-"A Disquiet Follows My Soul"  
> A/N: For [**angiescully**](http://angiescully.livejournal.com/) and [**fluff_friday**](http://community.livejournal.com/fluff_friday/) and anyone else who can't watch the new episode until tomorrow.  
> Disclaimer: _Battlestar Galactica_ and all related characters belong to Ronald Moore, NBC Universal, Sci-Fi Channel, and Sky One. No infringement is intended and no profit is made from this.

Bill propped his head on his elbow and watched Laura search for her clothing. It had been a long, long time since there had been a woman naked in his quarters, and even longer since he'd cared to watch one put her clothes on. It was oddly, sweetly, incredibly sensual. He admired the line of her spine as she bent to pick up her sweatpants. There was a pink mark at the curve of her waist, shaped like his mouth, he thought. It was incredible, after all this time, that this had been so easy: she had been sitting on his couch when he'd gotten off duty, twisting her scarf in her hands, and her face had lit up to see him. He'd reached out for her and she'd come into his arms with a glad little sigh and no more discussion.

"I think I've been waiting my whole life for you," he'd said.

"Gods, some days, I wish I had," she said.

The rest, as they said, was history. He stretched his legs out, remembering. This hadn't happened before, but he hoped to hell it would happen again. He couldn't remember being so happy since the worlds ended. Watching her, the joy just bubbled up in him, and he chuckled, leaning hard into his hand.

Laura turned, clutching her sweatpants to her chest, a little smile playing at the corners of her lips. "What?"

He shook his head. "Everything."

The curve of her skull gleamed under the lights. Even without hair, she was so godsdamn beautiful it hurt to look at her. "You should never laugh at a naked woman," she said seriously, padding over on her bare feet to sit on the edge of his bunk. "We don't take it well. I'll start worrying that I have cellulite or some nonsense."

He pulled her down next to him. "You don't have a thing to worry about and you know it," he mock-growled, cupping her head in his hands to press a kiss to the graceful bone above her eye.

"Now how is it that you always make me believe in things that are patently false?"

"Must be my amazing powers of persuasion," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

"There is no doubt of those," she said, smiling. "After all, look where we are. You persuaded me so effectively that I have no idea where my underwear is. Now that's a seduction with flair."

"Hmmm," he said, "and here I was under the impression that you had seduced me."

She giggled and the bright joyful sound of it set him laughing again. "However it started," she said, "I believe that the end result was mutually beneficial."

"That's undeniable," he said, stroking her back. She hummed and closed her eyes, tucking her hands under her chin and curling closer.

Even through the blanket, he could feel the warmth of her skin. Going off the diloxin might have shortened her life, but she was so glad, so alive, that he almost couldn't fault her. And she was here, which was a better side effect of the euphoria than he could have hoped for. They might never settle on Earth, but the way she was settled against him was so comfortable he could hardly care. She was right. It was time to enjoy life, whatever they had left.

"Laura," he said.

"Hmm?" she said, not opening her eyes.

"You're happy, right?"

She blinked at him, all long lashes that still startled him when she kissed him and they brushed his cheeks. "Of course," she said.

"Good," he said.

"Was that all?" she asked, smiling, her eyes searching his face.

"That's all I need to know," he said. She peered at him with the little crinkles around her eyes full of laughter. She touched his face, bringing her mouth to his, her lips dry but soft. He leaned into the kiss, holding her tenderly.

"I love you," she murmured, pressing her forehead to his.

"I love you too," he said. "Are you gonna say that all the time now?"

"Making up for lost time," she whispered, nuzzling against his neck. "I'd prefer to spend the moments I have left telling you that I love you, Bill Adama, and you deserve to know."

"Well, I like to hear it," he said. "So that'll work out." He shifted to look at his watch. "I need a shower. I have to be in CIC in half an hour." He pushed himself up and she shifted to let him out of the bunk; he dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth as he rolled over her and reached for his shorts.

"I'd offer to help," she said, lounging on the pillow, "but I doubt that would would speed things along."

"Tempting," he said, "but I think you're right." He turned on the shower and stuck a hand under the spray. It was cold, and he leaned back into the room. She looked so comfortable. Without the wig, the nape of her neck was tender. He was tempted to go to her, to kiss the hollow at the base of her spine or the dimple between her shoulder blades, but there was no way he was going to tempt Saul to roust them out. He'd never hear the end of it, something about the Admiral's love nest, being in bed with the government. "What are you gonna do while I'm gone?"

"You know," she said thoughtfully, "I might just go into the office."

His heart squeezed. "You know the resources of Galactica are at your disposal, if you need access to a computer or any extra help."

"I might go to _my_ office," she said. "On Colonial One. Just for a few hours. I'm sure I'll be back. I can only stand the Quorum for so long, you know, all that squabbling, but so many of my papers are over there, and the people deserve to see their president."

"I thought you were living for today." He tested the water - still cold - and adjusted it.

"There's living and there's _living_," she said. "As it turns out, a little indulgence makes responsibility much easier to bear. Now I just have to figure out what to do about this planet."

"We'll figure that out together."

"I believe you," she said, turning onto her side, her smile luminous, still holding her sweatpants to her breasts.

"If you want a shuttle, you're gonna have to get dressed," he said, giving in and going to smooth his hand down the pretty line of her ribs. "But you can have your pick of my pilots."

"Why, thank you, Admiral. At least with you gone, I'll have plenty of time to search for my missing articles of clothing," she murmured, preening under his fingers.

He chuckled. "It takes two, Madam President."

She turned her face into his hand. "Yes, it does," she said softly, and kissed his wrist.


End file.
